Happy Tuesday

Thought for Today

"Twenty years ago, the question: 'Does television shape our culture or merely reflect it?' held considerable interest for many scholars and social critics. The questions have largely disappeared as television has gradually become our culture." - Patrick Michele


T-R-A-V-E-L
(Author Unknown)

Inmate Mitchell King had a visitor -- his wife. King was serving a six-year jail term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn't want to be away from him for that long. So they held hands. And they stuck. She'd rubbed her palms with Super Glue. Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation painful. Her technique is not one I'd recommend for a closer relationship.

But if you want more closeness; if you desire relationships that are deeper and broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the word "travel."

T is for TRUST 
Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A relationship will go nowhere without it.

R is for RESPECT 
"Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead," writes Anna Cummins. It's about respecting others and letting them know that you value them.

A is for AFFECTION
Love - genuine love and care is a key.

V is for VULNERABILITY 
Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability. Entrepreneur Jim Rohn says, "The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out the joy." And the love.

E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY 
Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have learned to communicate.

L is for LAUGHTER 
Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." It's also the most enjoyable.

For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word "travel." Make sure the relationship is one that God wants for you. Then enjoy the trip!

Daily Smile:

Too helpful

Working for a Judge in a common pleas court, I saw many criminal defendants. One man facing drug charges proved unusually helpful.
To determine the exact quantity of the illegal substance allegedly sold, the judge asked the prosecutor how many grams there are in an ounce.

As both attorneys checked their notes, the defendant, who had not yet entered his plea, proudly announced, "There are 28.3 grams in an ounce, your honor." 

His attorney advised him to plead guilty.